Skip to main content

Artificial intelligence systems for autonomous driving on the rise, says IHS

According to the latest report from market research firm HIS, Automotive Electronics Roadmap Report, as the complexity and penetration of in-vehicle infotainment systems and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) increases, there is a growing need for hardware and software solutions that support artificial intelligence, which uses electronics and software to emulate the functions of the human brain. In fact, unit shipments of artificial intelligence (AI) systems used in infotainment and ADAS systems are
June 17, 2016 Read time: 3 mins
According to the latest report from market research firm HIS, Automotive Electronics Roadmap Report, as the complexity and penetration of in-vehicle infotainment systems and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) increases, there is a growing need for hardware and software solutions that support artificial intelligence, which uses electronics and software to emulate the functions of the human brain. In fact, unit shipments of artificial intelligence (AI) systems used in infotainment and ADAS systems are expected to rise from just 7 million in 2015 to 122 million by 2025, says IHS. The attach rate of AI-based systems in new vehicles was 8 percent in 2015, and the vast majority were focused on speech recognition. However, that number is forecast to rise to 109 percent in 2025, as there will be multiple AI systems of various types installed in many cars.

According to the report, AI-based systems in automotive applications are relatively rare, but they will grow to become standard in new vehicles over the next five years, especially in: Infotainment human-machine interface, including speech recognition, gesture recognition (including hand-writing recognition), eye tracking and driver monitoring, virtual assistance and natural language interfaces; ADAS and autonomous vehicles, including camera-based machine vision systems, radar-based detection units, driver condition evaluation, and sensor fusion engine control units (ECU).

Specifically in ADAS, deep learning -- which mimics human neural networks -- presents several advantages over traditional algorithms; it is also a key milestone on the road to fully autonomous vehicles. For example, deep learning allows detection and recognition of multiple objects, improves perception, reduces power consumption, supports object classification, enables recognition and prediction of actions, and will reduce development time of ADAS systems.

The hardware required to embed AI and deep learning in safety-critical and high-performance automotive applications at mass-production volume is not currently available due to the high cost and the sheer size of the computers needed to perform these advanced tasks. Even so, elements of AI are already available in vehicles today. In the infotainment human machine interfaces currently installed, most of the speech recognition technologies already rely on algorithms based on neural networks running in the cloud. The 2015 BMW 7 Series is the first car to use a hybrid approach, offering embedded hardware able to perform voice recognition in the absence of wireless connectivity. In ADAS applications, Tesla claims to implement neural network functionality, based on the MobilEye EYEQ3 processor, in its autonomous driving control unit.

Related Content

  • Auto OEMs ‘focus on opportunities in infotainment, digital instruments’
    January 19, 2017
    One in every four passenger vehicles sold by 2025 is poised to feature digital instrument clusters, dedicated passenger infotainment systems, and integrated biometrics with bought-in device functionality, says Frost & Sullivan. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are tackling the design of components that are in line with fast-changing technology trends and customer expectations. “The luxury segment car of the future will have augmented reality HUD, OLED displays, interactive cabin doors and windows,
  • Huawei's ORT tech removes highway toll gates
    August 26, 2020
    Road tolling operations will be transformed by new revenue collection possibilities
  • Road safety systems on show at ITS World Congress
    January 30, 2012
    A vast array of new products and systems for aiding road safety were displayed at the ITS World Congress in October. David Crawford assesses a selection of safety initiatives exhibited in Orlando. Vital roles for ITS applications in road traffic safety emerge clearly from a new report from the US Transportation Safety Advancement Group. The report has been carried out for the Next Generation 911 What's Next Forum, which is preparing the way for future development of the US national 911 emergency single call
  • Europe to test autonomous cars with motorcycles
    December 1, 2016
    Following a letter written by motorcyclists’ organisations Federation of European Motorcyclists' Associations (FEMA), MAG NL and KNMV sent to the Netherlands Vehicle Authority RDW, expressing concerns about European type approval for Tesla, vehicle authorities will cooperate with motorcyclists’ organisations and conduct their own test program with different brands of semi-autonomous cars. A driver of a Tesla – and of an increasing number of advanced cars – can leave key actions to the vehicle, while in t